1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer-implemented graphics systems, and in particular, to a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for accelerated rendering of images with transparent pixels using a spatial index.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a computer-implemented graphics program, objects in images may contain transparent pixels. However, rendering transparent pixels can be slow. For example, in the prior art, such rendering is performed on a pixel-by-pixel basis requiring expensive blending or merging calculations of the transparent pixel with pixels behind the transparent pixel.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improved techniques for rendering transparent pixels in images in a computer-implemented graphics system. The present invention satisfies this need.